Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-03-04
Execution of a Woman.

The execution of woman at Her
kimer, New York, took place last Mon
day RoAclana Druse, who murdered
her husband in December, 1884, sui
fcred the extreme penalty OF the law,
at noon, on that day. 1t seems that
there was no doubt of her guilt, a. a
few hours previous to the execution,
she made full confession, duplicating
others, but claiming that she had
killed Druse because he had treated
her cruelty and brutally. Mrs. Druse
was tried and convicted in September,
1885; the decision was affirmed by the
Court of Appeals, and she was sem
fenced to be hanged December 90,
1856, but the Governor granted re-
prieve pending the consideration of a
bill by the State Legislature abolishing
the death penalty for women. Ad-
verse action having resulted, the sem
tence was carried into effect. The dis
patches state that, as usual, curiosity
brought together a large number of
people at the village. Every road
leading into town was dotted with
sleighs, crowded with fur-coated men
and not few women. The crowd in
the village increased with the arrival
of every train and in spite of the ex-
treme cold, men, women and children
stood about the streets surrounding
the Jail. The execution, Ii, viewer, was
witnessed by but twenty-five persons,
including the officials.
The accounts state that at IL AZ A.
NJ, Mrs. Druse and DIR. Powell knelt
on the floor of the scaffold, under the
rope. Mrs. Druse closed her eyes
when DIR. Powell offered prayer. Mrs
Druse was dressed in black cashmere
with lace at the neck and sleeves
She wore a small shawl over her shoul.
ders. She maintained her cOmposure
on the scaffold until the cap was
drawn over her face, when she began
to moan and finally began to scream
so loudly that she could be heard in
the street adjoining the Jail. The trap
was sL-ung and after she fell she made
but one convulsive movement.
AN amusing incident is related in
connection with the late hearing of the
Olympia tax-levy case, at Tacoma
The matter was prosecuted by the
city's Attorney, Mr.. Aver, and Mr.
Hartman, our well-known "Black.
stone," appeared for the kicking tax
payers. 1t seems that on argument
Mr.. Hartman occupied the time of the
court an hour or more, in an exhaust
i've endeavor to show that his clients
were sorely prosecuted individuals by
the effort that had been made to de.
prive them of their property without
due process of law" and sat down
with a complacency which plainly in.
Dictated the thought that he had given
the judge some very hard legal nuts
to crack. Then Mr.. Aver arose, and
carefully began arranging a small Ii
brary of books in convenient position
for ready reference. He drew from
his pocket lengthy brief of his argu
ment, and spread it out with all that
deliberation which seems to be so in.
separately connected with legal deport
ment, and had just cleared his throat
with preliminary "ah'm" for May
it please yer honor" when the Judge
interposed: Hold on, Mr.. Aver, hold
on; I'll decide the case in your favor
The time of the court is invaluable
and it is not necessary to further argue
the question" It would be we'll worth
a nickel to know precisely how either
of the learned gentlemen felt over thil
rapid method of disposing of what
doubtless seemed to them a very i'm
portant case.